IWATE - A wave of bear sightings across Japan has forced the cancellation of traditional summer events, while one animal entered a home and came within inches of a sleeping resident's face.
A bear cub ran through the main gate of a school meal center in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, on July 9, with security cameras capturing it racing around the grounds.
The bear narrowly avoided a police car that arrived at the scene before quickly running away from the vehicle. The center temporarily closed its gates to ensure safety as confusion spread through the area.
The bear remained on the property for about 10 minutes before escaping outside.
At a nearby elementary school, parents were asked to transport their children by car as a safety measure.
Iwate Prefecture recorded 50 bear sightings in the week through July 10.
Another bear appeared at a home in Shizukuishi, Iwate Prefecture, where it attempted to enter while the residents were asleep.
The animal remained outside a rear entrance as a resident shone a light at it in an attempt to drive it away. The bear then placed a paw on a sliding door and tried to enter the house.
The alarmed resident shouted loudly, and the bear briefly turned toward him before leaving.
The same bear had reportedly appeared twice before the video was recorded. During its first visit, it entered a room where the resident's father was sleeping.
"When the bear came in, my father woke up and found it right beside his face, so he shouted," resident Yuta Matsubara said. "The bear was startled and went outside, but we could still hear it growling. When we looked, it was in front of the back entrance trying to open the door."
When Matsubara's father opened his eyes, the bear was so close that he could feel its breath.
The animal had also entered a cattle barn two days before the video was taken, tearing open bags of feed. On July 9, it ate powdered milk intended for calves.
"The thing the bear seemed to enjoy most was the powdered milk for the calves. That appeared to be its favorite," Matsubara said. "It was also quite large, so I was very surprised. I have heard that two or three bears, possibly different animals, are roaming around this area. I wonder how long this will continue. I hope they are caught in traps soon."
Bears have also eaten cat food around the property. The town has installed several box traps and is maintaining heightened vigilance.
The repeated sightings are also affecting annual summer events.
A firefly-viewing event scheduled for this weekend at Mount Oritsume in Iwate Prefecture was canceled following reports of a bear in the area.
Yamagata City's annual public mountain hike, scheduled for August 1, was also canceled because of bear sightings, marking the first cancellation in the event's 95-year history.
Source: FNN
